Standing Alone
by Celestial Angel1
Summary: Matt's father isn't all he's cracked up to be, so his mother moves Matt in with her and TK. Character death, lil bit of Taiora and Takari.


STANDING  
Matt Ishida cupped his hands over his ears and clenched his teeth tightly. He shut his eyes and shook his head in a vain attempt to drown out the sounds coming from the family room of his house. Though he was only six years old, Matt understood what all the yelling out in the family room was. His mother and father, who'd been married long enough to have him and his three year old brother, were going to divorce. His mother explained to him about the divorce, trying to keep it simple for the little boy.  
"Mattie, I want you to know that none of this is your fault or TK's. Your father and I just don't want to live together anymore. But don't worry, you two will get to visit him a lot, okay?" Mrs. Ishida explained. Matt nodded, then got his backpack and proceeded to school.   
Things didn't work out the way Mrs. Ishida had told Matt. His father wanted custody of one of his sons, and Matt was the one he wanted. Although Matt's mother went to court for him, she was unable to get Matt, only TK. A month later, Matt's mom and TK moved out of the house and to the other side of Tokyo, leaving Matt with his father. After TK and Mrs. Ishida left and changed their names to Takaishi, Mrs. Ishida's maiden name, Mr. Ishida became violent, taking out his anger on Matt. The majority of the time Matt holed himself up in his room and tried to act like a perfect son to keep his father from hitting him. Days seemed to melt into months, which merged into years. Time was blurry for Matt as his dad became accustomed to being without half his family. Every day was better, and finally his dad wasn't so mean. Life became better.  
Matt cleared the dishes from the table and began to wash them. His father walked into the living room and came back in with a package, which he laid on the table carefully. Matt finished the dishes and turned to see his dad and the gift.  
"Happy birthday, Yamato. I hope this gift is okay." Mr. Ishida said quietly. Matt smiled slightly and opened the gift carefully to reveal a brand new guitar.   
"Oh wow, I love it! Wait until the band sees this!" Matt replied as he looked the blue guitar over happily.   
"I know the last one you had was really old and falling apart, and I decided to get you a new one, especially since your band is really taking off now." Mr. Ishida said as he got up.  
"Thanks dad." Matt said happily. Matt's dad looked at him and smiled wearily. The guitar had cost a lot of money, which would hurt them both when grocery time rolled around. But that was what usually happened. Mr. Ishida would buy nice things for Matt all the time, especially after he hit Matt.  
"So Yama, how old are you? Thirty?" Mr. Ishida asked, snickering at Matt's serious composed nature. Matt looked up and smiled, his big blue eyes shining like ice in the sun.  
"Not quite. Try fourteen." Matt answered as he picked up the guitar and walked past his dad into his room. He sat the guitar on the stand he'd bought three years prior when he took up the guitar. Matt laid on his bed and closed his eyes. He was almost asleep when he heard a knock on the front door of the apartment. He listened as his dad opened the door.   
"Nancy, what are you doing here?" he heard his dad's muffled voice speaking to the woman outside.  
'Nancy. . . . mom! What's she doing here?' Matt thought as he tried to hear what they were talking about. He pressed his ear to the door and strained to hear his mothers' voice. He hadn't seen her or TK for eight years, and he missed them terribly. The door suddenly opened, knocking Matt back. He stood up to face his little brother.   
"TK!" Matt said excitedly as they hugged for the first time in eight years.   
TK had grown a lot since he was three, now he was almost as tall as Matt. In fact, they looked a lot alike, both having the same blonde hair that spiked wildly, although Matt's was more tame than when he was young. Matt and TK also shared the same intense blue eyes that looked at the world maturely. Now as both brothers looked at each other, they felt as if they were looking into a mirror. Finally Matt spoke up.  
I can't believe you're here. . . it's been so long. I've missed you Takeru." Matt whispered. TK nodded and sat down on Matt's bed.   
"You haven't changed much at all. You're the same Matt I remember, the messy older brother who watched over me when I was small. I've missed you too, Yama." TK replied quietly as Matt joined him on his bed.   
"So why are you and mom here? I don't understand why after all this time you have suddenly come to visit." Matt said. TK glanced at his surroundings and sighed.  
"Well, we know dad is violent. We know you've been hit before, and now we're coming to take you to our house. We'd have come sooner, but we had to have proof. So we hired a detective to watch the apartment, and now he has photos. So I'm supposed to help you pack so we can get out of here." TK answered solemnly. Matt's eyes flared as he angrily got up and walked toward the door.  
"Matt, what are you doing?" TK asked softly. Matt paused at his door and turned around quickly.  
"I'm going to tell her to leave. She had no right to come in now and take me away from everything I know. I don't want to move to the other side of Tokyo. I don't want to leave my friends. I don't want to leave dad. I know he's mean, but I have dealt with it for eight years without much trouble, and I don't think changing it now will do anything." Matt said angrily. TK cringed as Matt's voice rose in anger. His eyes were like icicles as he opened the door to confront his mother.  
"Matt, oh sweetie it's been so long! Come let me see you!" Ms. Takaishi cried happily. Matt walked slowly over to his mother and let her hug him. She backed away when he didn't respond to the hug.  
"Matt? What's wrong?" Ms. Takaishi asked, concern in her voice as she looked at her oldest son carefully.  
Matt looked down at her; he'd grown at least six inches over her small frame. He and TK both inherited their fathers' tall stature.   
"What are you doing here? How can you be doing this to me? I don't want to leave, I'm happy where I am. I have everything I want here, and I'm comfortable. So you and TK can go now." Matt said coldly. Ms. Takaishi's eyes widened and began to water. Mr. Ishida turned from his ex wife and son, his eyes closed. TK walked out of the room and stood away from the others.   
"Matt, I'm just looking out for your best interest, and I think that leaving this violence is the best thing." Ms. Takaishi pleaded with Matt, but he turned his head and stared at the floor, determined to not let this happen to him.   
"I am not violent. . . I just can't control myself sometimes." Mr. Ishida said suddenly, his fists balled in anger.  
"I have evidence Richard, and you can't prove to me otherwise. You have been hitting Matt since he was six years old, and I'm sick of it. I have a court order and I'm taking him tonight." Ms. Takaishi replied firmly. Mr. Ishida's eyes narrowed.  
"I don't think so. I won't let you have him!" Mr. Ishida yelled, growing angry. Mr. Ishida yelled loudly and prepared to take a swing at his ex wife. Matt turned around to see his fathers' fist heading right for his terrified mother. Then he watched TK jump into the path of the blow. The force blasted TK and his mother back onto the floor. Ms. Takaishi got up and shook TK, who lay unconscious on the floor. Matt turned and looked at his father, who stood over them, his hands still in fists.   
'He really is a monster. . . . ' Matt thought as he looked at his mother and TK, who opened his eyes slowly and moaned. His left cheek was red and swollen, and would most likely bruise. Matt looked from his father to his mother to his brother.   
"What the heck did you do??" Matt shouted angrily. Matt's dad turned around in time to receive a blow to his face. Mr. Ishida stumbled backward and Ms. Takaishi screamed.   
"I'll pack my things. I won't live like this anymore." Matt said as he strode past his family into his room, slamming the door behind him.   
'I can't believe I just hit my dad. . . .' Matt thought as he pulled out his suitcase and filled it quickly. Within fifteen minutes, he had all his clothes packed into two suitcases and was at the front door with his mother and TK. His mother opened the door and left, TK following. Before Matt left, however, Mr. Ishida grabbed Matt's arm roughly.   
"Don't even think that this is over. I'll be back for you. And next time it won't be pretty." Mr. Ishida said harshly. Matt narrowed his eyes and wrenched his arm from his dad's grip. He walked out, slamming the door behind him.  
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The car ride was quiet as Ms. Takaishi drove down through Tokyo. TK rubbed his left cheek gingerly and winced at the touch of his fingers. Matt stared out the window of the car, his chin resting on his hand.  
"Matt, did you know that mom and I moved? We're living down the street from Tai and Kari now, and Sora only lives fifteen minutes from us. We all can go to the same school now." TK said cheerfully. Matt looked back at TK and smiled half heartedly. He had gone to the same school with all of his friends at one time, when he was eleven. But his dad moved him into another district, and he eventually lost contact with them. There were seven of them in the original group of friends, Tai Kamiya and his little sister Kari, who was TK's age, Sora Takenouchi, Izzy Izumi, Mimi Tachikawa, Joe Kido, and himself. TK would have been associated with them too if he hadn't lived on the other side of the city. They used to spend a lot of time together, but after Matt left, he didn't get to see them at all.   
"That's great TK." Matt answered, turning back to stare out the window. The car stopped in Heighton View Terrace, and the three occupants got out and hauled in Matt's things. After a walk up three flights of stairs, they reached their destination.   
"Welcome home, Yama." Ms. Takaishi said as she turned the key and opened the door.   
The apartment was small, but nice. There was a kitchen and a good size living room. Three closed doors were down the hall from the living room. TK led Matt to the middle door and opened it. Matt walked into a small room with white walls and springy blue carpet. The white curtains on the large window were tied back with blue fabric. Matt walked over to the window and looked out at the city. He could see the citys' twinkling lights for miles. Matt sighed and sat down on the twin bed, closing his eyes sleepily.   
"Matt, what do you think?" TK asked. Matt opened his eyes and sat up. He had forgotten that TK was still in the room. Ms. Takaishi also walked into the room, another box of things in her hands. She sat it down on the floor and made her way over to her son.  
"I'm sorry this had to happen Matt, but I couldn't let him hurt you any more. I have been trying to get you back all this time, and now we're together. I want you to know that I love you Mattie, and I always have, no matter what you've thought over these past eight years." Ms. Takaishi explained to Matt, who stared out the window absently. He turned and looked at his mother without a word.  
"I know mom. But right now I need to be alone to get used to what just happened. You understand, right?" Matt replied, wiping a strand of hair from his face. Ms. Takaishi rose to leave, and TK followed her out the door. Matt sat on the window seat, looking out the window at the stars over the city.  
After an hour of constant sitting and staring, Matt got up and put his leather jacket on. He left the room and passed through the living room where Ms. Takaishi and TK sat quietly. TK put his book down and looked worriedly at his brother. Ms. Takaishi glanced up and looked into her son's sad face.  
"Matt, where are you going? The weather is terrible out there." Ms. Takaishi said quietly. Matt looked down at his mother with a look that made her heart break in two.  
"I know mom, I'm just going over to Tai's. It's been awhile." Matt responded as he opened the door and left the apartment. The wind was chilly against his face as he pulled his jacket closer to him. He walked slowly down the street to the next building and walked up four flights of stairs. He turned right and proceeded down to the end of the hall. The last door had the name Kamiya written beside it on the mailbox. Matt stood outside for a few moments. He remembered all the time he'd spent with Tai. He was his best friend after all. He remembered Tai's wild brown hair and big chocolate eyes. He remembered how Tai had taught him to play soccer when they were young, and how he had taught Tai to play the harmonica. He remembered sleeping over and spending time with Tai and his other friends. He raised his hand to the door and paused.   
'I wonder if he's changed. . . . ' Matt thought as he knocked loudly on the wooden door. It opened unhurriedly, revealing a young girl with strawberry colored hair. Her cinnamon eyes gazed at Matt curiously as Matt stared at her in absolute shock.  
"I'm sorry, I must have come to the wrong house. Do you know where Tai Kamiya lives?" Matt asked as he stood uncomfortably in the doorway.   
"He lives here. My name's Sora. Sora Takenouchi. And you are?" the girl asked politely. Matt's eyes almost fell out of their sockets. It was one of his childhood friends standing right in front of him.  
Sora had really grown since Matt had last seen her. Now she was a very pretty girl, not that she wasn't pretty as a child, but Sora had always been a tomboy, and now she seemed a lot more girlish. Matt stared open mouthed at Sora as she led him inside. She led Matt to the living room where two other people sat on the couch in front of the TV. One was a girl about TK's age. It had to be Kari. She too had grown a lot since Matt had seen her. She was only three when he last saw her. Her chin length brown hair was held back by a headband. Her rust-colored eyes watched the TV thoughtfully. The other person was a boy about Matt's age with wild brown hair.   
"Tai. . . " Matt said, barely audible. At the sound of his name, Tai turned around and glanced at the blonde boy. His curious face suddenly broke into a smile as he leapt off the couch and took Matt up into a giant hug.  
"Matt I can't believe it's you! It's been so long!" Tai cried happily. Sora smiled brightly as the realization of Matt's identity sunk in. She joined the hug as Kari looked on inquisitively. She knew Matt, but didn't remember his too well. She also joined in the hug. After a few minutes of talking and laughing and remembering, Matt made his way to the door.   
"I'm going up to the roof. If my mom or TK calls, tell them I'm busy." Matt asked as he opened the door.   
"Matt, you never told us why you are here." Sora said, suddenly sounding concerned. Matt looked at the ground and sighed.  
"My mom got a court order yesterday and took me from my dad today. It really sucks." Matt replied glumly. Awkward silence filled the room.   
"Well I'll be going now." Matt said as he closed the door. Kari, Tai and Sora sat back down on the couch.  
"I shouldn't have asked. . . . " Sora reprimanded herself. Tai slid his arm around her gently.   
"We would have known eventually. This was easier for Matt I think." Tai responded. Kari nodded in agreement.  
"I think that was the best thing we could have done. I just hope that he's okay." Kari added as she turned to the TV again.  
Matt walked up the stairs of his apartment building until he was on the roof. By now, a gentle rain had began to fall, and the entire city was enveloped in water. Matt didn't mind the water on his face as much as the wind that had become cold and harsh against his face. He sat beside the ledge and stared at the city around him.   
'Why am I so miserable? This was the best thing. . . . . ' Matt pondered as he blinked back tears of frustration. The rain intensified as thunder rumbled across the black sky. Matt closed his eyes angrily and thought of all the things in his life that shouldn't have happened. He thought about his mother and TK leaving because his father was too abusive. He thought about how the courts made his stay with his father. Recalling the years of physical and mental abuse, Matt stood up and faced the city. As he screamed out over the city loudly, thunder boomed deafeningly along the sky, drowning his angry screams out completely. Satisfied, Matt sat down on the roof again and closed his eyes. He fell asleep to the sound of the thunder and the coldness of the rain that continued to drop from the heavens.  
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Ms. Takaishi looked at her watch again. Matt had been gone over two hours. She expected him to take a lot of time getting back on track with Tai, but he left the house at ten o'clock, and it was already past midnight. She knew that he was aware of his going to school the next day, which worried her. He would have come back by now, and there was no sign of him anywhere. TK walked into the living room in his pajamas. He couldn't sleep knowing that Matt wasn't home.  
"TK-" Ms. Takaishi said, cutting the silence in the house like a knife. TK put his hand on her shoulder.  
"I'm on it mom. He must be at Tai's, so I'll just walk over there and get him." TK said as he put on his green coat and left the apartment.  
'It's freezing out here! The temperature must be twenty degrees. . . .' TK thought as he jogged over to Tai and Kari's building. He ran up to the door and knocked blatantly to wake up his sleeping friends inside. Tai opened the door and looked at TK groggily.  
"TK, it's 12:30. What are you doing here, and if you say you want to see Kari, I swear I'll-" Tai started before being cut off by a sleepy Sora.  
"Hi TK, what's up?" Sora asked in a tired tone. TK looked at her quizzically, then nodded.  
"Hi Sora, I forgot that you were staying here with Tai and Kari until all your parents came home. Is Matt here?" TK asked. The two sleepy teens shook their heads and let TK in so he could warm up. Inside, Kari made hot chocolate for everyone, and soon they were sipping it carefully.  
"So Matt's not here? I wonder where he is. . . . " TK pondered anxiously, wondering what had happened to his older brother.  
"Well, we know he came over here and told us to cover for him. He said he'd be on the roof, but I thought he'd go home. It's been almost three hours." Tai said, fearing the worst had happened to his best friend.  
"He must still be there. I say we go get him." Sora added as she finished her hot chocolate. Everyone agreed and were soon getting their coats and leaving the apartment. The traveled up to the roof of Tai and Kari's apartment, but didn't find Matt.  
"He must be on the roof of your apartment, TK." Kari said as Tai held the door for them against the wind. The weather was horrible by now, the rain turning to snow. Big fluffy flakes blanketed the city in a layer of white chill. Tai, TK, Sora and Kari jogged to the other apartment building and climbed the stairs to the roof.   
"There he is!" TK cried. He ran over to Matt's still form lying on the floor, a layer of thick snow covering him.   
"Is he okay? What's wrong with him?" Sora asked as Tai turned Matt onto his back, causing him to groan softly.   
"I think he fell asleep. He's okay, but he has a fever like I've never felt before. He's so hot. Let's get him downstairs, his clothes are frozen." Tai replied as he hoisted Matt's limp body over his shoulder and made his way to the door.  
"Mom? I found him, but he's sick. Mom?" TK called as the four kids entered the house. Ms. Takaishi rushed out of her bedroom and helped Tai take Matt to his bed. After about half an hour, the two came back.  
"He's still sleeping. His clothes were stiff and cold, but we got him changed. I took his temperature, it's 104.5 and I don't know what to do." Ms. Takaishi reported as she flopped onto the couch in the living room heavily.   
"Will he need to go to the doctor?" TK asked worriedly. Tai nodded, and Ms. Takaishi sighed downheartedly.  
"I think he should go, especially if his fever gets worse. But I don't understand why he went out there to sleep." Tai said.   
"He was depressed. Maybe he went up there to think, but ended up falling asleep." Sora returned as she yawned. Though the others tried not to, they all began to yawn as well.   
"We need to get home, you two. It's almost two o'clock." Sora said as she herded Tai out the door. TK met Kari at the door and held her hand tightly.  
"TK, if you need anything, you know I'm here. That's what a girlfriend is for." Kari said wearily. TK nodded and sent Kari off after Tai and Sora, then closed the door. He got into his bed and instantly his eyelids felt like lead. Unable to keep himself awake, TK fell asleep.   
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Matt opened his eyes and looked around. He was in an unfamiliar bed in a very unfamiliar room. He opened his mouth to speak, but found his throat dry and swollen. At first he was confused by everything until he remembered the night before. After he realized where he was and what he'd done the night before, he again tried to speak. He moaned in defeat and flounced back onto his bed.   
"Matt? Oh good I thought I heard you. You really scared me last night Mattie, and I don't want you to do it again. You need to stay in bed for awhile, at least until we go to the doctor later today. How do you feel?" Ms. Takaishi chattered rapidly. Matt blinked in an effort to understand what his mother had so quickly said to him.  
"I'm okay, I guess." Matt said, immediately feeling how dry and scratchy his throat was.   
"OK, well the appointment for you is at three, and it's nine now, so do you want me to wake you when we need to leave?" Ms. Takaishi asked. Matt nodded, then made a sign for water. His throat was so hot and swollen, water sounded wonderful to him then. Ms. Takaishi nodded and left for a moment, returning soon after with a glass of water. Matt drank it quickly, then laid his head back onto his pillow and fell asleep again.   
Around two o'clock, Ms. Takaishi came into Matt's room to find him sleeping without any sheets or comforters or anything. She felt his forehead and noticed he was hotter than he was that morning. She called the hospital as she pressed a cool cloth on Matt's feverish forehead.  
"Hello, Odaiba general, how may I assist you today?" a polite female said cheerfully. Ms. Takaishi glanced down at Matt, who was wheezing heavily.  
"Hello, I have an appointment with the doctor this afternoon with my son, and I don't think I can move him. You see, his temperature is extremely high, and I'm afraid moving him would be dangerous and-" Ms. Takaishi said excitedly.   
"What is the current temperature?" the woman asked calmly. Ms. Takaishi took the thermometer out of Matt's mouth and stared at it worriedly.  
"105 degrees. . . . so what should I do?" Ms. Takaishi asked as she wiped the sweat off of Matt's face.  
"I'll send the doctor right away. Your name and address?" the woman replied.   
"Takaishi Nancy, 221B Sakura Street, Odaiba district." Ms. Takaishi rattled. She put down the phone as TK walked in.  
"What's wrong? Shouldn't you two be leaving?" TK asked anxiously.   
"Matt's fever spiked up, and a doctor is coming as soon as he can to take care of him. Do you think Mrs. Kamiya would mind if you stayed there this afternoon?" Ms. Takaishi answered as TK followed her to the kitchen.  
"Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya are away remember? So is Mrs. Takenouchi. They're in Kyoto and Sora is spending the week with Tai and Kari." TK replied. He heard Matt cough hoarsely in the other room.  
"I'll just spend the night, okay?" TK added as he retreated to his room and packed his overnight bag. By the time he was ready, Ms. Takaishi had phoned Tai and told him what was going on.  
"I'll see you later TK." Ms. Takaishi said as TK walked to the door. TK hugged his mother tightly.  
"Okay mom, call me if anything happens to him." TK reminded her calmly. He took his coat and closed the door behind him, walking through the chilly air to the Kamiya's house.  
"Hi TK, your mother told us what was happening. I have a bed set up for you on the sofa. Is that okay?" Tai said as TK came into the Kamiya house and set his things down. Sora peeked out from the kitchen and smiled.  
"And I'm cooking dinner tonight. We're going to eat some American food tonight, how does grilled cheese and tomato soup sound?" Sora added as she poked back into the kitchen.  
"Everything's great. Thanks for having me over you guys. I really appreciate it. Is Kari here yet? I know she had dance at four o'clock, but I don't know if it's over. I need a little help on my algebra homework." TK said quickly as he sat down on the floor by the TV.  
"She'll be home in about fifteen minutes, so you can work on it after dinner." Tai replied. They watched TV for awhile, then heard the door open and Kari greet them.  
"I'm home! TK, what are you doing here?" Kari asked, tugging at the sweatshirt covering her dance tights shyly.   
"Matt isn't doing too well, and I'm spending the night. The doctor will stay in my room and I didn't want to get in the way." TK explained, his eyes looking exhausted.  
"Dinner's ready!" Sora called. Everyone piled around the table and ate quietly. After all the dishes were done, Sora and Tai sat in front of the TV while Kari and TK stayed in the kitchen to do their homework.  
"So Matt's in bad shape, huh?" Kari asked while they worked on their algebra. TK nodded and continued to concentrate on the problem he was solving. The telephone rang, and Tai picked the receiver up.  
"Hello? Kamiya's, this is Tai. . . . uh huh. . . . yeah. . . . oh no. . . I'll tell him. Goodbye." Tai said as he placed the phone in the cradle again.   
"What is it?" Sora asked. Tai got up and Sora followed him into the kitchen. Kari and TK looked up at Tai and Sora and looked puzzled.  
"What's up Tai?" TK asked nonchalantly.   
"Your dad has custody of one of you again. Until Matt is well enough to return home with your dad, you have to go." Tai replied sadly. TK's mouth dropped open. He tried to talk, but nothing would come out.  
"I have to take you to your mom's. He's on his way to get you." Tai added unhappily. TK and Kari nodded and packed their homework. They all put on their coats and shoes in silence. TK carried his things back to his house, his friends following somberly behind him.  
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Tai, Sora and Kari sat on the couch placidly as Mr. Ishida and Ms. Takaishi fought in the other room. TK came out of Matt's room, followed by the doctor.  
"So, how long will Matt be sick?" Sora asked anxiously. The doctor shook his head sleepily and put on his coat.  
"He'll be well enough to leave in about three weeks. Until then, he's to be totally bedridden." the doctor answered calmly before leaving the apartment.   
"I have to stay with him for three weeks, then Matt goes back. He goes back to being beat every day and living a life of pain. And we didn't even have him for a day." TK said as he collapsed into a chair, sobbing angrily. Kari got up and hugged TK tightly.   
"It'll be okay. Your mom will fight for Matt and get him for good. Don't worry." Kari said as she held TK. Mr. Ishida and Ms. Takaishi walked out of the other room, both of  
their faces red.  
"Get your coat TK. You need to come with me now." Mr. Ishida commanded angrily. He grabbed TK's coat and threw it at TK roughly.  
"If you lay one hand on that boy, I'll have you in prison so fast. . . " Ms. Takaishi yelled furiously. TK picked up his bag and followed his father out the door. Ms. Takaishi fell to the floor in a heap and sobbed heavily.   
"Ms. Takaishi don't cry. We'll get him back." Sora said reassuringly. Ms. Takaishi looked up and frowned.  
"At Matt's expense. To have TK I have to give up Matt. He has to go back to the awful life again." Ms. Takaishi cried as she resumed her crying. Tai heard a sound behind him and looked back to see Matt standing shakily at his doorway, tears rolling down his cheeks. Tai moved over to the doorway and helped Matt back into his bed.  
"Tai, did he take TK?" Matt asked, his voice weak and quiet. Tai nodded, and Matt cried harder.  
"He'll be back again when you're better, but then you have to go back to your dad's. The court said you had to." Tai responded. Matt's eyes widened. He turned to his side and stared at the window helplessly.  
"Matt, everything will work out. I promise." Tai said, trying to reassure his friend.  
"Yeah, but someone will have to pay to have that kind of luck." Matt replied dully. Tai turned Matt toward him and shook him.  
"Don't ever say that Matt. I don't want you to say things like that ever again." Tai scolded angrily. Matt looked at Tai and sighed sadly.   
"Don't worry, I didn't mean anything by that. I'm just angry." Matt replied. Tai got up and walked out of the bedroom.  
"I'll be back later Matt. Goodnight." Tai said as he closed the door.  
"I'll get TK back soon." Matt said softly as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.  
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The weeks passed by slowly for TK, Ms. Takaishi and Matt. TK couldn't communicate with his mother or brother because of the court order, which depressed him. Matt grew well and strong every day. Soon it was time to switch back, and Matt packed his things sadly and left.  
"I'll miss you mom." Matt said sadly as he hugged his mother one last time. Ms. Takaishi cried, but let Matt leave nonetheless. Matt plodded along the street and stopped at Tai and Kari's building.  
'Might as well say goodbye to them too. . . ' Matt thought sadly as he made his way to the door.  
"Matt! You're going back now?" Sora exclaimed as she ushered Matt inside. Tai and Kari looked out from their rooms and smiled sadly.  
"We'll come with you. No need to walk across Tokyo, right?" Tai offered. Matt wanted to resist, but crumbled and nodded in approval. Tai, Kari and Sora put on their coats and left for Matt's old house, not talking the entire way there. About an hour later, they reached Matt's house. Upon opening the door, Matt cried out in anger.  
Liquor bottles littered the floor everywhere. The apartment was a mess, dishes lying in the sink, clothes on the floor. Matt's bedroom door burst open, and TK stumbled out backward, wiping blood from a cut on his lip. Mr. Ishida stormed out after TK, his fists balled and covered with TK's blood. Matt looked over his brother and noticed the bruises on him. He glanced over at the counter by the door and noticed the gun amongst the trash. Knowing what to do, Matt picked up the gun and walked over to his brother.  
"Don't touch him, you monster." Matt said darkly. Mr. Ishida grinned evilly and cracked his knuckles slowly.  
"What are you going to do Mattie? Shoot your old man?" Mr. Ishida asked devilishly, his eyes gleaming with anger. Matt's blue eyes flashed with animosity as he aimed the gun at his father.  
"Matt don't do this." TK said weakly, holding his side. Mr. Ishida lunged at Matt and began to wrestle him for the gun. Tai, Sora and Kari watched in horror as the two men grappled for the gun. TK rose and lurched toward them, landing in Tai's arms heavily. He looked back and cried out at the sight of his brother and father fighting for control of the deadly weapon. Matt clenched his teeth and pulled at the gun. Mr. Ishida collapsed onto Matt, forcing him back onto the counter. Suddenly, a loud bang rang from the gun and both men stopped dead in their tracks. Mr. Ishida stepped back from his son and ran out of the apartment. Matt looked down at his stomach and watched the red color spread over his green sweatshirt quickly.   
"Matt!" Tai, Sora, Kari, and TK screamed in unison. Matt touched his stomach with his fingers and held them up. Seeing they were streaked with bright crimson blood, he toppled to the floor. TK broke from Tai's grip and knelt beside Matt, picking him up and cradling him in his arms. Matt's body convulsed as a trail of blood made its way from his mouth to his shirt. Devastated, TK ran his hands through Matt's hair carefully. He looked down at Matt, tears streaming from his blue eyes. Tai, Sora and Kari stood stunned at the door, unable to move.  
"Matt, how could you. . . .I mean. . . . why did you do that?" TK asked, heartbroken. Sora snapped out of her trance and dialed the hospital.   
"I don't know, I was just so angry about him hurting you, I didn't know what I was doing." Matt gasped. His body convulsed again, and TK felt his brother's life slipping away. Sirens wailed in the distance, but they sounded too far away.  
"Hold on, Matt. The ambulance is coming, and you'll be okay. Just hold on." TK cried as he held his brother tightly. He felt Matt's body shake and get colder. He'd lost so much blood. It was all over the front of his shirt and TK's too. Matt's mouth quivered as he struggled with all his might to live.  
"TK, I want you to tell mom I love her. And I want you to know I love you too. There wasn't a day that went by these past eight years that I didn't think about you." Matt wheezed, struggling to make the words come out. Tai and Sora held Matt's hand while Kari held TK tightly. Tears flooded down all the teens' face as Matt's breathing became labored. Desperate to live, Matt looked into his brothers' azure eyes one last time before closing his own. His chest heaved one last time, then stopped moving. TK's eyes watered as he wailed loudly. His cries carried across the air and cut like a knife. Tai and Sora fell onto the floor beside Matt and TK and cried quietly. Kari hugged onto TK harder as tears dropped from her eyes. The paramedics rushed in soon afterward.  
************************************************************************  
The people walked through the cemetery silently, making their way around the memorials to the other departed people they knew or loved. At one corner of the cemetery, the normal bleakness was distorted by a dot of color. The procession stopped beside the colored spot and stared sadly at the coffin underneath the colorful flowers. Sora and Tai stepped up to the coffin and placed two white roses on top of the pile gently. They backed away and gave in to sobs of grief that had been plaguing them for the past two days. Joe Kido and Izzy Izumi, more of Matt's childhood friends, walked up the casket and laid two yellow roses beside Sora and Tai's roses. They too backed away and consoled Tai and Sora, though it wasn't easy because they were also crying. Mimi Tachikawa walked up to the grave alone. She'd moved to America years before, and had flown back to Tokyo the minute she heard about Matt's death. She put an orange rose on the grave then fell to her knees, her body shaking with sobs. Kari placed her pink rose on the casket, and with an emotionless face, helped Mimi up and walked her over to Tai and the others. Kari had taken Matt's death very hard, and was completely despondent and empty of tears and emotions. TK and his mother were the last ones to go to Matt's casket. The other kids watched somberly as Ms. Takaishi and TK laid red roses on their family members' grave. Ms. Takaishi wailed in anguish, and TK hugged her tightly before following suit. The minister said the prayers and lowered the coffin into the earth.   
'He was so young. . . ' Tai thought sadly, shaking his head.  
'Only fourteen. . . ' Sora recalled sorrowfully.  
'I must be dreaming. . . . ' Kari thought as she walked slowly across the grass.  
'I never got to say goodbye. . . ' Mimi mourned to herself.  
'At least he's at peace.' TK thought as a tear slipped from his eye.  
  



End file.
